ANIMAL WELFARE groups are concerned there may be a cock-fighting ring operating in the greater Dundalk area of Co Louth after a number of injured cocks and other fighting birds were found dumped in the town.
“We know cock-fighting goes on in places all over Ireland and that there is big money passing hands. There can be thousands of euro at stake for those involved,” said Fiona Squib, an inspector with the Louth Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Cock-fighting is illegal in Ireland but is known to take place between Easter and the end of July.
During a fight two birds are allowed to keep fighting until one dies and big money can ride on the outcome.
In recent days Ms Squib was called to two incidents where fighting cocks had been abandoned.
In one case, she found three large cocks which had been dumped on the Dublin Road near the local hospital.
Two of them had their spurs – which grow on the sides of their legs – taped down with insulation tape.
This is often done to keep them sharp before a fight. However, they could also have been taped down to prevent them causing an injury to another animal.
There are reports of steel spurs being attached to the natural spurs before a fight to increase the damage they can cause.
In the second case, Ms Squib found a cock and hen dumped near the Blackrock Road in Dundalk.
Gerry Donaghy, chairman of the Louth Poultry Fanciers Club, said they were a breeding pair of Shamo or Anseel birds. Both breeds originated in southeast Asia where they were bred for fighting.
Mr Donaghy said the birds “were in a dreadful condition. One had gone into moult and had been neglected. This bird got sunburn on its exposed skin. However, I treated it and both birds have now been rehomed. I wouldn’t rule out that there is cock-fighting going on. It is a possibility.”
Mr Donaghy criticised the taping of spurs and said he believed that whoever had dumped the birds “is in the Dundalk area”.
Ms Squib said: “My concern is that cock-fighting is going on around the place or else that the birds are being used to bait dogs. They tease the dogs with the birds because a cock will use its talons to draw down on an animal and draw blood.”
It is unclear exactly where in Dundalk the cock-fighting or dog-baiting took place but Mr Donaghy has appealed for anyone with birds that they no longer want to contact him instead of dumping them.
He can be contacted on the website louthpoultryfanciersclub.com.